Back to Basics…Is GFI LanGuard Right for Securing Your Business?

April 19 2016

Security is one of the most important aspects of running a business. If you don’t have good security software then your company data might be vulnerable to attacks from hackers. Having your company data hacked, especially customer data – could prove to be disastrous.

If you’re not 100% satisfied with your current security set up then the purpose of this guide is to help you decide if GFI LanGuard is right for your business by giving you an overview of its features as well as covering installation and pricing.

Features

Below are some of the most beneficial features of GFI LanGuard.

• Patch management – Patch management is one of the most important aspects of keeping your network secure. GFI LanGuard enables you to do this, either automatically or on demand. It works across all major operating systems as well as a host of third party applications. All types of patches are managed by the software – ensuring that your environment is secure and up to date at all times.

• Vulnerability assessment – The ability to scan and treat vulnerabilities is essential with any kind of security software and GFI LanGuard really excels in this area. It gives you the ability to scan for more than 60,000 vulnerabilities across all devices on your network, including mobile devices on any platform. It also gives you the tools required to fix any vulnerabilities that are identified during the scan.

• Integration with third party applications – GFI LanGuard integrates seamlessly with a vast array of security applications to ensure you’re protected in all areas. These include antivirus software, firewall, browsers, IM services, P2P and disk encryption to name just a few.

• Network auditing – Network auditing in GFI LanGuard is extremely comprehensive and will give you a complete overview of all devices connected to your network, including mobile devices. As well as scanning the software and hardware of the devices on your network, it will also inform you of any weak passwords that are being used. Analysing scan results is easy and will enable you to make informed decisions when it comes to things such as deleting users or groups and disabling certain access points.

• Works with virtual environments – If your organisation uses virtualisation then using GFI LanGuard won’t be a problem. It works perfectly with all popular virtualisation software, including Microsoft Virtual Server, VMware, Citrix, Parallel and Microsoft Hyper-V.

• Comprehensive reporting capabilities – Reporting in GFI LanGuard is easy to understand for both management and IT departments. Reports are available in all major formats, including PDF, HTML, CSV, XLS and RTF. Reports can be used as templates and are easy to send securely via email.

• PCI DSS compliant – Ensuring that you comply with the security standards of major credit card companies is a must when handling customer card numbers. GFI LanGuard makes it easy to make your network safe and measure the effectiveness of your compliance programs.

• Agent technology – The agent technology in GFI LanGuard enables you to scan thousands of machines in a very short amount of time. It also helps with accuracy since you can set agents to perform local scans even when the machine is not connected to the network.

The key benefits to your business

• Saves time – One of the biggest benefits that using GFI LanGuard in your business provides is that amount of time it can save you. If your business is currently using different pieces of security software for different applications and machines, then you’re spending a lot of time that could be put to better use. GFI LanGuard eliminates this problem by providing a fully integrated solution.

• Improves security – Of course the purpose of any good security suite is to improve the security of your network as a whole and GFI LanGuard does an excellent job of this. If there’s any aspect of your network that’s not secure – whether it’s a weak password or an out dated plug-in, you’ll be informed and giving the tools to fix the problem.

Interface

Even though GFI LanGuard is feature-packed, it wouldn’t mean much with a clunky and cumbersome interface. Thankfully the LanGuard GUI is very intuitive and makes auditing and patch management a breeze.

One of the most important aspects of a good GUI when it comes to this type of software is being able to easily find what actions have already been performed and what needs to be done to fix outstanding problems. GUI LanGuard makes this process very simple and lets you scan as many machines as you need in just a matter of minutes.

Ease of installation

Installing GFI LanGuard is a straightforward procedure. You simply download the software, activate it with the licence key sent by email and follow the on-screen instructions. The installation takes less than 5 minutes and opens at a home screen that includes the option to open the dashboard, correct security issues, activate antivirus, manage agents or launch a scan. Once the software is installed, vulnerability scanning is automatically available on the local machine and scan is done. You’re informed of the level of vulnerability and are given the option to see a more detailed analysis, which includes the most important issues that need to be addressed, such as software updates and vulnerabilities.

Pricing

Pricing for GFI LanGuard is dependent on the number of nodes.

The 1-year subscription plans are grouped into 3 categories as follows –

25-49 nodes – £17.00

50-249 nodes – £9.33

250 – 2999 nodes – £6.67

Custom subscriptions are available on request for businesses with fewer than 25 nodes or more than 2999 as well as 2 or 3-year subscriptions.

This software is designed for business use only. The download link and license key required to activate your 30-day free trial will be sent to you by email.

Conclusion

Overall GFI LanGuard is a stand out security suite that provides businesses with a simple yet comprehensive way to have full control over the security of their network. The ability to scan and fix vulnerabilities for multiple applications across a range of desktop and mobile devices makes it perfect for almost all types of businesses.

Get in touch if you’d like any more information about GFI LanGuard and how it can benefit your business.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Grant McGregor to anyone. They understood our requirements and helped get us up & running with GFI MAX Mail Protection in no time. Expert knowledge with fast support and friendly staff...